First Alert Carbon Monoxide Alarm Review

carbon monoxide packaging

As a parent, I would do anything to make sure that not only is my child safe but that I take the steps to make sure my husband and I are safe as well. So while I do things on the daily to keep us safe, some are easier than others. When we moved into our new house I noticed that smoke alarms were installed. I was glad about this, as I had made it really clear to my husband that I would not be moving into a home that didn’t have any smoke detectors. I knew someone who did that once, and they were lucky that they weren’t at home when their house caught on fire, as because there wasn’t a smoke alarm, no one found out about it until it was too late. That is why I like to make sure that our house, and future homes have access to these critical devices. I also ensure that I take the time to get in touch with a professional company like Aardvark Electric (Click here to contact them) to get them to come and test it when it’s required, as this way I will know for sure if it is working or if it needs replacing. When I do this, I feel like I am in full control over the safety of myself and my loved ones.

One thing that I wasn’t best pleased about was the fact that we had a smoke detector but not a carbon monoxide detector in the house. My smoke detectors do not detect carbon monoxide, so getting a carbon monoxide detector was high on my to-do list. Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas that is nearly impossible to identify without a proper detector. Carbon monoxide is the single largest cause of accidental poisoning. The CDC reports that over 15,000 people each year are treated in emergency rooms for non-fire-related carbon Monoxide exposures.

Initially, my plan was to rent a gas detector from a Gas Monitor Rental service. However, I soon realized I would rather buy one because I will need it for a long time. When I purchased it, I was unsure where to install it, even though the instruction manual had specific instructions on where to place it. I was so confused that I ended up calling my local Fire Department to ask. Most important is to place a detector near bedrooms (if you only have one in the house make sure it’s near where you sleep). It’s a good idea to have a detector on every floor of your house as well as one close to the garage door if you have an attached garage. At the same time, you may want to make sure that your garage doors are working as they should just in case you need to open them for an emergency situation. For example, if you live in Annapolis, MD you should contact ADP for all your garage door needs, or somewhere similar depending on your problem. When you do this, you can get two jobs done in one, so your safety and security are only going to be increased as a result. My fire marshal suggested to try and place your detector between knee and chest level, making sure not to cover your detector with furniture or curtains.

carbon monoxide front

This Mamas Experience

The First Alert 10-Year Alarm Life Carbon Monoxide Detector contains a sealed non- replaceable battery making it so easy to use. The user manual goes into great detail explaining where to install, how to install and even has a wall mounting guide template (I feel this was made for me since the thought of unnecessary holes in my wall keeps me up at night). The First Alert Carbon Monoxide detector can not only be mounted on the wall it can be placed on a tabletop. Getting your alarm ready to use is easy, once you switch your alarm on it cannot be turned off. Once your alarm has reached its end of life (10 years) you will have to break the tab and slide the switch to deactivate mode. Once it has been deactivated it cannot be reactivated. Your alarm will chirp to let you know that you have activated it correctly.carbon monoxide back

Make sure you test your alarm weekly and make sure everyone in your house knows your “emergency plan”. As a child, I remember my father teaching my brother and I about our “safe plan”. In case our fire alarm or carbon monoxide alarm would sound we knew to immediately get outside and to our safe meeting place. Make sure your “safe place” is far enough away from your house in case of fire and to keep a safe distance from emergency vehicles. Make sure everyone in your household knows where your safe place is, in the event that your family gets separated while evacuating; it will also help in knowing that everyone has safely made it out. When testing your alarm have your children help so they are familiar with the sound and be sure they know to never ignore your carbon monoxide alarm when it sounds.

Keeping your family safe is important and First Alert 10- Year Alarm Life Carbon Monoxide Detector makes it easy. Although you should not fully rely on it to always be working efficiently, just like a light bulb it can run out of power or decrease in efficiency, so to combat this making sure that you have a house inspector to check over this amongst other elements in your house would be a great idea to keep your home safe. You can get a Home inspection Austin, TX, Orlando, FL, and pretty much anywhere so make sure that you are taking advantage of this safety feature for your home.

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Veestro Giveaway

Click here to read more about Veestro products

Giveaway

Welcome to the Happy Father’s Day Blog Giveaway Hop hosted by MamatheFox and On Honeysuckle Hill! At each stop in this hop you can find a fun prize valued at $15 or more. Be sure to come back for your daily entries to increase you chances of winning! Good Luck

June

Veestro

MamatheFox, On Honeysuckle Hill and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations. 

Lalabu Soothe Shirt Giveaway

The newborn days. They’re long, filled with round the clock feedings, dirty diapers and if you’re really lucky maybe you can even have a real meal! Enter babywearing. It’s an essential must have for moms with newborns. When I became a mom back in 2008 babywearing was not something a lot of people were talking about and man oh man could I have used something like the Lalabu Soothe Shirt,

For a newborn, there’s nothing more soothing than being held. But constantly holding your baby can put a strain on your body and figuring out how to correctly swaddle your little one can be confusing. The Lalabu Soothe Shirt is easy to get your infant in and out of, doubles as a nursing bra, and looks like a shirt you’d wear even if you aren’t a new mom.

The Lalabu Soothe Shirt features:

  • Easy to use pouch calms newborns
  • Built-in nursing bra for convenient breastfeeding
  • Perfect for all seasons – stylish enough to wear alone, light enough to wear under layers
  • Soft, wrinkle free fabric
  • Made in the USA

I love Lalabu’s vision and the fact that they give back. They have a “2% For Moms” business model where 2% of all sales go toward supporting mom entrepreneurs in Africa. Lalabu is manufactured here in the US.

When your baby is crying because he or she wants to be held and you have dinner on the stove plus one of your older children’s butts needs to be wiped you don’t have time to mess around with a wrap. (Although I have seen my share of amazing babywearers and their wrapping skills are something I truly envy.) Now, all you need to do is place your baby into your Soothe Shirt and you can continue to do those mom things while your sweet newborn squish is nestled right next to you. Do the dishes as well as take in that sweet baby’s smell.

The other thing that I love about the Soothe Shirt is that it looks like an everyday tank top that can be worn out and about. It also can double as a nursing tank top. Think of it as one shirt with three purposes!

And now you have a chance to win a Soothe Shirt of your own! Lalabu is giving away a digital gift certificate worth $75 to their store. The winner can pick the color and size of the shirt and it also includes the So Worth Loving special edition Soothe Shirts! Simply fill out the form below! Good Luck!!

Disclosure: All opinions are 100% mine. This giveaway is in no way associated with, sponsored, administered, or endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest or any other social media network. All opinions and experiences are First Time Mom’s. Open to US residents only , must be 18+. Confirmed Winner(s) will be contacted through email and have 24 hours to respond before a new winner will be drawn. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The sponsor will be responsible for product fulfillment to winner(s) of the giveaway. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. For questions or to see your product featured in an event you can contact Elizabeth at First Time Mom.

Veestro Review

It can be hard to take the time to make real, healthy food every day. Everyone has those days when time alludes them and you totally forgot to make a meal! But what about your diet? You have been doing so good and don’t want to “waste” that awesome workout earlier by guilt eating a pizza or sub sandwich. Something like powerlife supplements can help get you the nutrition you need and stave off the cravings for junk food, but what if you’re still hungry. What you need a proper meal as well if you want to stay fit and healthy… but you just don’t have the time to make it.

What if instead, you had an all-natural, no preservative or animal products meal ready to go in your freezer? Packed with all the nutrients you need for a healthy lifestyle. Too good to be true? Nope! Veestro is your new backup, or daily eating, plan.

About Veestro

Veestro wants to make healthy eating easy for us. They offer three ways to buy their food and meal programs: A la Carte, Meal Packs, and their Weight Loss meal programs. You can choose whichever works best for you and your family and have these amazing meal delivered straight to your home or office.

A la Carte, Meal Packs,or Weight Loss

With the A la Carte option you can choose from a broad variety of meals, desserts or juice cleanses to have quickly shipped out to you. With prices ranging from 5.49 to 11.99, nothing is out of your budget.

The Meal Packs offer 5 different packages for all types of people. The 21-day kickstart plan is a very popular option. You can simply replace 1,2 or 3 of your daily meals with a healthy, organic, non-GMO, 100% plant-based Veestro meal.

Weight Loss package is broken up by 3 plan options – each of them lasting 2 weeks. All of them are organic, 100% plant based and NON-GMO.

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Mama’s Experience

I am not a vegan, but I do enjoy all types of foods. One of my best friends is a vegan and she was so excited to hear about Veestro. When people make the choice to eat vegan its typically due to their believes in the ethical treatment of animals. This is not the only reason, just one of many. Veestro only has plant-based foods that are healthy and read to heat and eat! Their selection is broad, giving you so many options. They have breakfast, lunch, dinner and every dessert options. I love knowing that if I can find any type of food through Veestro, even soups and juices. I was able to try a few different meals by Veestro and I can honestly say that I liked every single one of them.

The Breakfast Burrito

burrito

This was such an amazing start to my day. It was packed with all the fun spices and flavors that I want in a warm and filling burrito. All the black beans really made this a filling meal. The sauce has a kick, which I love! I really love hot foods, so to me it was not too hot, but if you don’t like things that are spicy I would steer clear of the sauce on this one – because it has a slight punch to it. I, however, used all the sauce because I couldn’t stop myself! It was so tasty and paired perfectly with not only the burrito but also the potatoes. The potatoes were soft just crisp. Like they just come out of the oven. For something I microwaved, I am clueless how they perfected those spuds to make them taste so fresh.

The Spanish Torta with Black Bean Sauce

Torte

I have never had a Torta before, but based on the image on Veestros website, I was totally sure it was a Mexican pie-like dish with a flaky crust topping, and I so right on LOL! This torta the spot on a busy weekend for me. I did not have time to gather myself a lunch when my kids were having their typical toddler pre nap meltdown. I was running on zero and needed a meal and fast! I tossed this in the microwave and took a quick picture before I scarfed it down. I was so good I wished I had 2! The sauce was so simple but pared perfectly with the torta. If you like Mexican food, then you need to try this one for sure.

The Chocolate Covered Cheezecake

cheezecake Veestro

I am such a dessert lover. I love cheesecake. My vegan friend, who I loving call ‘cheese’, no longer eats cheese! She has not eaten a cheesecake in years. Now she is able to eat it once again! This vegan ‘cheezecake’ is dairy-free but still tastes like heaven! I honestly have no clue how how they did this one and I don’t care! Just get me another slice!! It is smooth and moist. The crust is my favorite, solid but not too hard. The chocolate covering on top just makes it more exciting. While it may not be ‘real’ cheese, this cheezecake is definitely something any vegan should try.

The Eggplant Casserole

eggplant with sauce

I love eggplant. I love how it’s hearty and really filling. This eggplant not only hit the spot but totally filled me up! I was excepting to also eat some fresh veggies and a yogurt (I am not vegan) with it for my full meal. Once I finished eating the Eggplant Casserole I didn’t even think of eating more. I am such a fan of cheese. If you miss cheese in your vegan diet, then you need to try this dish. The vegan cheese used in here really gives you the ricotta feel and flavor. The sauce is a nice compliment. It didn’t over power the dish. It was a small amount of sauce but the casserole was crazy moist and the sauce was not needed for moisture reasons. It is purely another layer in the flavor party that is this dish.

The Soba Noodles with Peanut Sauce

soba noodles in peanut sauce

They had me at peanut sauce! I love a rich peanut sauce so much. I knew I had to try out this one out. I was not let down! It was soft, rich and not too thick but not at all runny. Great texture for those who are funny about textures and their food. This meal needs to be thawed out so I placed it in my fridge overnight so that it was perfect for lunch the following day. I warmed it up using the micorwave because I like my sauce and noodles a little warm. There were tiny bits of cucumber and carrot, which gave a very fresh feeling to it. But, like I said, this mean was all about that rockin’ peanut sauce.

Sweet Peanut Clothing Review

Both the American Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada give manufacturers of children’s apparel a choice:  Clothing may be treated with chemical flame retardants or be classified as 100% cotton and snug fitting. – For Sweet Peanut this choice was obvious!

Air ballons Sweet Peanut

Not only is their clothing 100% organic cotton GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified.  It is never chemically treated and never will be. This is so reassuring to a mother like me. I try to reduce my children’s chemical exposure wherever I can. We eat as clean and organic as possible. I use organic bath products. We cloth diaper. All these are such great ways to reduce chemicals, but often people don’t even think about the amount of chemicals that could be in their children’s clothing. When you cloth your child in Sweet Peanut clothing, you can reset assured that they are 100% chemical free.

During their dying process they also use methods that are safe and non hazardous, while still keeping vibrate and bright colors as options in their clothing line. Sweet Peanut cares about your baby, the gift of health and reducing their global footprint. Because of these factors I have added them as a Simple Green Living company!

Air ballon full Sweet Peanut

Sweet Peanut makes the perfect variety of clothing options. Short sleeves, long sleeves, onesies, gowns, suits and pants. All the basics and more! Here are some of the lines they carry:

Each piece is perfectly made. My daughter and son love their Sweet Peanut Clothing. They are comfortable, easy to wear, wash wonderfully and look adorable on children. This company is an all around win.

Click here to find a store by you

plane sweet peanut

striped pj Sweet Peanut

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Blogger Opp Bucket Swing

Love, Mrs. Mommy is hosting this fun outdoor swing giveaway for 1 lucky person to win! Winner will receive an Eastern Jungle Gym High Back Full Bucket Swing! ($89 RV)

I need your help promoting! There are FREE and Paid Options Available. I look forward to working with you to promote this great giveaway! Thank you for your help! 

Sponsored By: Eastern Jungle Gym

Hosted By: Love, Mrs. Mommy

Co-Hosted By ~ ???

1 Lucky Winner Will Receive an:

Eastern Jungle Gym High Back Full Bucket Swing ($89 RV)


I would love your help promoting! Together we can work to accomplish a lot! Please sign up today! Thank you!

1 FREE Link For Agreeing To Post Giveaway On Time and Promote 3 to 4 times a week Via Social Media. (Choose from Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, OR Instagram)
PLUS a 2nd FREE Link If You Post The Announcement
(Choose From Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest OR Instagram)

ANNOUNCEMENT POST HERE

Co-Hosts Wanted and Needed ~ $4 for 4 links of your choice (Facebook Comments, Blog Comments, Giveaway Entries, Daily Votes, Social Media Follows of your choice, and Secret Word Pages, but NO GOOGLE+) PLUS the 2 FREE links above gives you 6 Links Total! Co-Hosts are not required to post announcement but it is greatly appreciated!
Other Sign Up Options Available On Sign Up Form

SIGN UP HERE

Sign Ups Close 6/5 @ 8pm EST
Open To US and must be 18+ to enter
Giveaway Dates ~ 6/8 12AM EST through 6/22 11:59PM EST
The Blogger With The MOST Referrals (4 or more) will Receive a FREE Co-Host Spot on this giveaway! If you paid for a co-host spot and you win, I will refund your money. Or, you can choose to get a free spot on the next giveaway. Promote, Promote, Promote and Make Sure They Know To Say You Sent Them! 🙂

Book Bear Giveaway

2016-05-17 16.32.51
Hosted by: MomJunky
Sponsored by: Book Bears
One winner will receive a Book Bears 2 Month Subscription Package for ages 2-5
Starts 6/2-6/16
18 +
U.S.
Check out my review HERE!
 The winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond or forfeits the prize. This giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media. All participating blogs are not responsible for prize fulfillment. All entries are optional. Void where prohibited by law.

Dinky Dives Fathers Day Giveaway

Dinky Dives Fathers Day Giveaway

Giveaway

Welcome to the Super Day Giveaway Hop!

Hosted by : The Kids Did It  & The Mommy Island 

hop

Dinky Dives Fathers Day Giveaway

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations. 

Beco Carrier Giveaway

Babywearing is an act of love. It keeps baby comfy, close to your heartbeat and everyone happy. In addition to the many benefits of babywearing, baby carriers come in amazing designs, prints and patterns. One very popular type is the soft structured carriers (SSCs). They’re easy to put on and take off, and have comfortable padded shoulder straps. It’s my go-to for supermarket shopping and trips to the park. Beco Baby Carriers are well known soft structured baby carriers (SSC) and the Soleil goes from 7-45lbs. With the snap
of two buckles this carrier is easy to take on and off for shopping,
going on a walk or simply getting things done at home like eating!
Wouldn’t you love to win this beautiful carrier? Details below:

Beco Soleil Carriers are well known for their
versatility and selection in prints and patterns. With the infant insert, these carriers go from 7-45 pounds and position baby ergonomically. In addition to the Soleil, the company also carriers the toddler and Gemini. You can read Mama Banana’s review of their other carrier, the Beco Gemini, to see more about these carriers and brand. Why Beco? The Beco Soleil Comes in Fantastic Colors and has many features. In addition, this design is no longer in production and highly sought after!

Beco Soleil Features Include:

Features:

  • Soft structured baby carrier – front, hip & back carry positions
  • Newborn (with Soleil Infant Insert – sold separately) to toddler (7 – 45 lbs/3.5 – 20.4 kg)
  • Wide base & high back panel, large shaped ergonomic seat
  • Padded headrest & leg openings
  • Ability to cross straps across back
  • Roomy pocket on waist belt
  • Key ring & toy ring
  • Phthalate Free, Latex Free, Lead Free, BPA Free

Measurements

  • Body 16″ wide x 17″ tall
  • Shoulder straps adjustable from 23″ – 42″
  • Padded waist belt adjustable from 28″ – 60″
  • Weight capacity of the carrier: 7 – 45 lbs (3.2 – 20.4kg)
  • Weight of the carrier: 1.5 lbs

 

One lucky USA or Canadian based resident will win this beautiful
carrier! Contest open to 18+ legal residents, void where prohibited.
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to e-mail sent to address provided.
Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

Disclosure;
This is not a sponsored post. This post may contain affiliate links.
This giveaway is in no way
associated with, sponsored, administered, or endorsed by Facebook,
Twitter, Google, Pinterest or any other social media network. Open to
USA and Canadian residents only , must be 18+. Confirmed Winner(s) will
be
contacted through email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner
will be drawn. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The
disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade
Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements
and Testimonials in Advertising. For questions about this event you can contact
MamaBananasAdventures@gmail.com

Bodylicious Skin Review

As a mother I try to enjoy my alone time as much as humanly possible. Those precious rare moments when the house is still, kids are asleep and I have the motivation to stay awake I try to seize the moment and take what I call my ‘tub time’. I relax in the bathtub with some fun spa like products, a cool glass of water or warm cup of tea and a good book. That to me is one of the highlights of my adult life (my 21 year old self would be laughing at this I am pretty sure).

I am currently in love with Bodylicious Skin products. Theses fun bath and beauty items are available through Etsy and are priced perfectly. So many times I find great products but I cannot afford to keep buying them over and over again. With Bodylicious Skin, they price their products reasonably so that you can use them daily, not only as special occasion treats.

Shirley is the owner of Bodylicious Skin and she makes of each product herself. Using a super high standard her quality control is on point. Nothing gets shipped out unless its perfect. The smells, textures, ingredients all are thoughtfully chosen and made with the end product in mind. Shirley has an auto immune disease, which limits the amount and types of products which she can use. She experimented for a while and started to make her own products so that she can enjoy bath products without harming herself. She makes all her products in a completely sanitized environment, which makes all the difference really.

Bodylicious products are made fresh, and scents can be made to order!

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Mama’s Experience

full set bodylicious

I was able to experience 4 different types of products from Bodylicious. My products arrived on a hot Ohio day, but the each of the products were still in great shape. The body butter and the whipped soap didn’t become an oily or runny mess. This really stood out to me. The ingredients held up and that is pretty cool to a consumer like me.

Body Butter

Body Butter Bodylicious

I have to use a good moisturizer on my legs after shaving. Its just how my body is. In the winter I have to use it because, heck its winter and dry! In the summer I need it because after I shave my legs they need that extra moisture to feel comfortable. My hands need moisture every so often because of the million sink fulls of dishes I do daily.  What I love about Bodylicious Skin’s Body Butter is how smooth is feels, how quickly it absorbs and there is no greasy after feeling.

The Body Butter’s contain high amounts of rich minerals, and hydrovance – a natural ingredient that delivers a immediate and long-lasting hydration more effectively than Glycerin.

Fluffy Whipped Soap

bodylicious cotton candy whipped soap

This Fluffy Whipped Soap is the top seller at Bodylicious Skin, and I can totally see why. I have heard of and touched soap aerial cotton candywhipped soap products before. This whipped soap is in a class of it’s own. It looks like it will dissolve when you touch it. As if my warm hands and body oil would cause it to melt at the slightest touch. But when you do touch it, it holds it’s integrity while being silky smooth. It really blows my mind. It easily spreads over your skin, creating the nice lather you desire in a soap, and adding a soft cotton candy scent to your skin and the showers atmosphere. I let my 3 year old daughter use this soap and she felt like a real princess. This would be a perfect gift for that toddler who doesn’t need ‘another’ toy. Its functional, fun and special. Plus their parents will be super grateful for a useful gift.

When you use this whipped soap you need much less than you may think. I have used other brands of body butters before. It takes a great handful to spread around and get the soapy clean effect you crave. With Bodylicious Skin’s Body Butter I took just a pea sized to a dime sized sized amount my first time using it. Just to see how it was going to feel and work. To my surprise that tiny amount washed my entire leg and both arms! I bet it would have kept spreading and lathering. The value of this product is outstanding. You want it because its fun, pretty and smells awesome. You need it because it’s a value that is worth every penny.

 

Bubble Bar

bubble bar bodylicious

Bubble Bars are a really cool bath time treat. You break off as much or as little as you want and crumble them in the water that is filling your tub. As the water then fills into your tub the bar bites slowly fill your tub with creamy bubbles that smell out of this world! This particular bar is Cotton Candy scented, which is one of the best smells in the entire world in my opinion. This bubble bar is a super generous size, as you can see in the image below. At 3+ ounces, you really get a ton for your money. The stronger your water pressure is the more bubbles you get. If you want more just agitate the water by hand (which I tried and it totally works) to get more bubbles. This is also a great product for children. It makes bath time even more exciting and its safe for their sensitive skin. If you are allergic to a certain item just let Bodylicious Skin know and she can make you a custom bar at no additional charge!

bubble bar in hand edited

Bath Bomb

bomb bodylicious

bomb in hand bodyliciousBath bombs are literally my personal favorite tub time type of product. I love to watch them dissolve. Smell all the scents en-captured being released into my tub water and into the atmosphere.  Its so exciting and yet calming simultaneously. It creates the type of escape I strive for in my alone time. This bomb hit all key aspects I desire. It created a fun and calming environment. I loved soaking in the soft, elegant water that was created. The smells were so feminine and beautiful I felt like I was in a 1900’s Victorian setting.

What is great about Bodylicious Skin bath bombs is that they are freshly made to order! These are made for you individually. The are not stale, sitting around for months or years. You can tell the difference in because when you touch them tiny granules of the bomb flake off (which is natural, and a good thing). They are huge in size, making them have the punch you want in your bath bomb. Some smaller bombs you need to use two to get the effect, but not with Bodylicious Skin’s! These are made for maximum enjoyment.

 

Bodylicious Skin is MamatheFox’s June 2016 Tub Time!

Tub Time Bodylicious Skin 300